reason, explanation n. forgive, absolve; justify v. reason, explanation n. forgive, absolve; justify v. Example Sentences Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com. See Examples For: My main piece of advice would be for you to put a lid — excuse the pun — on how much you spend. From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026 These insights into Alice’s personality don’t excuse her short fuse, but they do mark her as worthy of redemption. From Salon ● Sep. 10, 2026 Prominent AI author and regular OpenAI critic Gary Marcus said on a podcast that he believes the company has lost control of its AI and is trying to excuse itself by blaming the bots. From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026 It’s only natural then that China would become the excuse for why some Americans are voicing their unease with data centers in their communities, worried about electricity prices and water consumption. From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026 “Would you all excuse me, please? I really need to put the towels in the dryer.” From "Mystery Map (The Hardy Boys: Secret Files, #3)" by Franklin W. Dixon Bart DeLorenzo, L.A.’s most playfully provocative theater auteur, doesn’t need any excuses to direct a Henrik Ibsen play. From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026 America’s greatest achievements have always required us to confront difficult problems without letting them become excuses for inaction. From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026 “I’ve heard some creative excuses for blocking housing in Los Angeles, but golfing mountain lions may take the prize.” From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026 "I thought our prep was spot-on, no excuses ." From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026 Now I'm reminding myself how to tell lies and excuses again. From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse She excused herself and returned to her prayers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026 The judge excused the jurors from serving again for life due to the "harrowing and graphic" evidence they had heard. From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026 You’ll be excused for viewing that shameless promotion with cynicism as long as you also leave room to appreciate it as an indicator of how far the group has pulled popular culture. From Salon ● May 31, 2026 During the meal, he had a panic attack and excused himself to call his therapist. From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026 Matthias was excused from duties at the gatehouse fortifications. From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques Only after repeatedly excusing that phrase did he say that he would “discourage” it. From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026 The film isn’t excusing these rough working conditions, but it’s not a puff piece, either. From Salon ● Apr. 19, 2026 Which is one way of excusing an ally for aiding an enemy. From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2024 Other people were more forgiving, with some criticizing the negativity coming Andress’ way and excusing her rough performance. From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2024 “Could he write me a note for a medical card, excusing me from work?” From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron Words related to excuse are not direct synonyms, but are associated with the word excuse . Browse related words to learn more about word associations. Vocabulary lists containing excuse "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act III Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide! "The War of the Wall" by Toni Cade Bambara Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use! "The House on Mango Street" and "The Road Not Taken" Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time! Just like flashcards, but way more fun Don't take our word for it. Leave the boring studying behind and join VocabTrainer today. You'll learn even faster and never look back.